The First Tale of the Four Travelers
by Mister Frodo
Summary: Based on Final Fantasy I. The four travelers arrive at Castle Cornelia. But will they leave the city in one piece? Note: This story is on PERMANENT hiatus and will most likely never continue. I'M VERY SORRY.


Welcome to the first _Tale of the Four Travelers_! This is based on Final Fantasy I, using my character names from the game. Note that the only Final Fantasy game I own is _Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls_ for Game Boy Advanced, so I don't really know a whole lot about the series. I also apologize if these characters' names are the same as yours. Any similarities between the two names are purely accidental.

So, without further ado, here is the cast for the story:

Doma: A red mage, head of the group. He doesn't really listen to what the others have to say.

Mid: A warrior. He used to be the leader of the group, but the others voted him out and put Doma in because Doma has an awesome hat. (Seriously, red mages' hats rock.) He still acts like he's in charge, though.

Arvis: A monk. He's not that bright. Mostly stays silent. Beating people up and making very, very good elfin tea are his specialties.

Zok: A black mage. The group's cook who can't stay out of trouble for five minutes. Stinks at fighting.

And so, the quest begins! Do the heroes have what it takes to restore the Four Crystals and bring peace to the land? Let's find out!

_The First Tale: _

_**Return to Castle Cornelia**_

Doma raised his hat to take in the full sight. "There it is guys. Castle Cornelia."

Mid squinted at the midday sun. "Why are we here again? Shouldn't we be out looking for some way to restore the Crystals?"

"Quiet! This place is a good place to refresh ourselves from our dangerous travels."

"Yeah, and it also happens to be the home of your girlfriend."

"The princess is not my girlfriend!" Doma clenched his fist. "You know what? I'm about ready to throw you out of the group!"

"You can't throw me out. I'm the best fighter. Why don't you throw Zok out?"

"He's the only one of us that knows how to cook, idiot."

"Oh. Right."

At that moment, Zok walked up to them. "Okay guys, I've narrowed down the choices to eggs or bacon. Which one do you want?"

Mid furrowed his brow. "Why only one? Can't we have both?"

"Well, back when we were in Elfheim _somebody_ wouldn't let me buy another frying pan, so we only have one pan, and I can only make eggs or bacon, or else it'll take too long and it'll be lunch already by the time I finish both."

"Fine. Eggs."

Doma glared at him. "I'm tired of you acting like you're still the leader. I say bacon."

"But I want eggs."

"But you're not in charge. This is a dictatorship. I'm the leader."

"How come when I was the leader you always said this was a democracy?"

"Because I wasn't the leader. Duh."

Zok looked from one traveler to the other. "Okay, listen, I need to start up the fire now. Which one will it be?"

"Eggs."

"Bacon."

Zok nodded. "Yeah, that's really helpful."

Mid surveyed the wooded area. "Hey, where's Arvis?"

"Oh, he's chopping wood for the fire."

"But can't you just use magic and make the fire?"

Zok shook his head. "No. Don't you remember what happened last time we tried that?"

Mid nodded. "Oh yeah. Man, Arvis's hair still hasn't all grown back. But if you're going to have the fire, how are you going to make it?"

"The old fashioned way." He held up two sticks and a rock. "I'll make it with my hands."

"Hey, why don't we just go into the town and steal one of the candles from that guy who always tells us 'There are none in need of my services'? That would give us fire, and it would cheer him up."

Doma stared at him. "Sometimes your stupidity amazes me."

"Well that makes two of us."

Zok looked at the two. "Wait. We're next to the town?"

"Yeah."

"Then why don't we just go there to eat?"

"Because I'm hungry now! You follow my orders!"

"Fine. But only because you have an awesome hat."

Zok went over to the middle of their campsite and started rubbing the sticks together. Mid watched the black mage work. "Hey, Zok?"

He glanced up from his work. "What?"

"Why aren't you using the stone?"

"Oh, this thing?" He pointed to the rock. "That's not for the fire. That's if any squirrels run by. Cute, adorable squirrels…Man, those things are great in a stew!"

"Okay. I'm just going try to not be disturbed." Mid shook his head. "Seriously, Doma, we need to get that guy some help."

"I know." Doma adjusted his hat so it covered his forehead. "If you excuse me, I'm going into the town. I have urgent business in the castle."

"I don't really think hitting on the princess really counts as urgent business."

"Oh, go stuff your head in a hole." The red mage strode off towards Cornelia. "Arvis is in charge while I'm gone!"

"Dang it! He always has to make me take orders from that idiot monk."

Arvis stared at him. "I am right beside you, you know."

"Oh." Mid sighed. "I'm screwed, aren't I?"

"Yep."

"Well, cowabunga."

Zok rubbed the two sticks together in a vain attempt to produce fire. "Come on, work, will you?" He looked up and saw Arvis whacking Mid with his stick-weapon-thing. "Arvis, Doma told you to stop hitting people with that!"

"No, he told me I couldn't hit _him _with it." The monk continued bopping Mid on the head. "Everybody else is fair game."

"Oh. Sorry." Zok went back to his fledgling fire. "This is tough. Man, if only I knew some type of secret code that would make me level one hundred…That would be cool. Of course, that has nothing to do with fire. Still, it would be pretty cool."

Something caught his eye. He wheeled around, but the blur was gone. He sighed. "You're going crazy, Zok. Seeing things…Thinking about secret codes…Knowing every member of every boy band by name…Something weird's going on." He stood. "Well, I'll never get this fire made. Might as well go and get caught by goblins again in the forest." He jogged off towards the woodlands. "Man, those guys throw the craziest parties!"

Doma leaned against the wall. A guard passed by, oblivious to the red mage hiding just a few feet from him. Doma waited until the guard turned around the corner before sidling down to the end of the hall.

A stairway led upwards. He took the steps two at a time and reached the top. Another guard sat by the doorway to the throne room. Doma noticed upon further inspection that the soldier had in fact dozed off. _What an idiot. _Doma hurried past the snoozing trooper and through the door. _At least when I doze off it's when we're actually in a big battle. That guy's just sleeping on the job when nothing's happening around him!_

He entered the king's throne room and recalled the first time he had come into the castle. The king was, of course, an idiot, but he needed their help. His daughter had been taken by a traitorous knight. Doma, knowing that he'd never find a date on his own, agreed to help the king. He, along with his three clueless companions, rescued Sarah, the princess of Cornelia. That deed had been enough to secure Sarah's admiration, and, at least Doma thought, love. But now the real test had come.

He surveyed the chamber. The fat ruler's chair sat vacant in the middle of the carpet, but Sarah stood by it, knitting. She gasped as Doma strode in. "Doma! Where have you been? I have been waiting forever to speak to you. I feared you had died."

"I am not dead, fair princess." He flashed his best fake, charming smile. "I have come to proclaim to you what was set in my heart from the moment I saw you. Sarah, I truly and deeply—"

"Hey, guys! It's that cool dude with the awesome hat!"

He wheeled around. The sleeping guard had woken up and alerted all the other soldiers to his presence. He clenched his fist. _Idiots! Now they'll all want my autograph! _He turned back to Sarah. "Forgive me, my princess, but the hour grows late, and I must flee!" He headed to the open window.

"But, wait, Doma—"

He leapt out the window. The thrill of the wind whipping through his hair lost some valor from his disappointing visit with Sarah. _I didn't even get to kiss her, or propose to her…I guess this ring I stole from that little curly-haired short guy will have to wait in my pocket for a while longer. _

He looked down at the ground. His eyes widened. _Oh no. I jumped out the window above the—_

He landed in a patch of rose bushes. _Thorny _rose bushes. "YEOW!"

_There's the first chapter! Hope you liked. I apologize if it was kind of long, and I'm also sorry that it was a little bit of an inside joke, I was making fun of the game, after all…_

_Please read & review!_


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